electromagnetic spectrum Flashcards
frequency and wavelength are ______ of each other
inverse
when frequency is high, what is wavelength
low
what is the order of the waves from low frequency to high
radio, microwave, infrared, visible light, ultraviolet, X-ray, Gamma ray
what is the definition of electromagnetic radiation
a kind of radiation including visible light, radio waves, gamma rays, and X-rays, in which electric and magnetic fields vary simultaneously.
radiation in which electric and magnetic fields vary
define wavelength
the distance between successive crests of a wave
from one crest to the crest of the next wave
define frequency
the number of times a point on a wave passes a fixed reference point in one second.
define electromagnetic energy
radiant energy that travels in waves at the speed of light.
what is the unit for wavelength
meter
what is the symbol for wavelength
λ
what is the symbol for frequency
ν (greek letter nu, not english v)
what is the symbol for energy
E
what is the unit for frequency
Hertz (Hz)
what is the symbol for speed of light
c
how do you mathematically calculate speed of light
frequency * wavelength (c = λv)
definition quantum
the amount of electromagnetic energy that can be transferred in one pulse
define photon
a quantum of light = a “massless particle” of light
define photoelectric effect
When light is shown on a metal surface electrons are produced from the surface — these emitted electrons are called photoelectrons
what is wave-particle duality
light can behave as waves, but so can particles
define spectrum
the characteristic wavelengths of electromagnetic radiation that is emitted or absorbed by an object or substance, atom, or molecule.
λ of electromagnetic radiation that is emitted or absorbed bymatter
continuous vs line spectrum
A continuous spectrum contains all frequencies in equal intensity. A line spectrum contains only a few specific frequencies, or has frequencies that are of notably greater or lesser intensity than the rest.
absorption vs emission spectrum
an emission spectrum has different coloured lines in the spectrum, whereas an absorption spectrum has dark-coloured lines in the spectrum.
at what order of magnitude does visible light occur
400 - 700 nm
lower energy = what length of wavelength
lower energy = longer wavelength
